Cost-cutting measures could save taxpayers thousands of dollars this year as the Camden County Clerk looks for ways to trim back on election expenses.
Taxpayers may not notice the difference when they visit the polls but the taxing entities will when the final bills come for the April municipal elections, according to Camden County Clerk Rowland Todd.
Using fewer election judges and combining two precincts will help, he said.
Todd is looking to cut the number of judges at most polling places and in Osage Beach will combine Ward 1 and Ward 3 into one voting area. In the past the two wards have shared a common location at the Church of Osage Hills with separate voting areas.
This year the precincts will share equipment and space. This will reduce the number of people needed to handle the voting process, he said.
The cost of the April municipal election in Camden County will run approximately $42,000.
Early predictions based on past elections put voter turnout at about 13 to 15 percent of the 31,000 registered voters in Camden County, Todd said.
The taxing entities reimburse the county for the election expenses. Each entity shares in the costs based on what hey have on the ballot and the number of voters within their geographic area.
“The school and fire protection districts end up paying the largest share of the expenses,” he said.
Camden County has a total of 25 precincts.
Camden County, Mo. —
